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Paulo Costa criticizes UFC after declining Magomed Ankalaev replacement fight

Published

3 months ago

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Paulo Costa criticizes UFC after declining Magomed Ankalaev replacement fight
Former
Ultimate Fighting Championship title challenger Paulo Costa
didn't like the short-notice fight offer against Magomed
Ankalaev.

Ankalaev was originally scheduled to fight Khalil
Rountree in the main event at
UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.
However, Rountree pulled out due to an injury and has been replaced
by Uzbek contender Bogdan
Guskov. Costa has now revealed he was in the running to take on
the former light heavyweight champion.

Paulo Costa discusses UFC negotiations and short-notice Abu
Dhabi offer

Costa (16-4) recently revealed that he, too, was approached by the
UFC to replace Rountree against Ankalaev. However, “Borrachinhaâ€
turned down the offer as it was too short notice to fly to Abu
Dhabi for a five-round fight. Costa also claims he was not offered
any extra incentive to accept a tough matchup against a former
champion.

“They called yesterday,†Costa told Ariel Helwani. “But I think
it's so short notice, like less than 14 days, to get a flight to
Abu Dhabi. 16-hour flight to Abu Dhabi, five rounds, for the same
money, and not even for an interim belt. I don’t think this makes
sense right now.â€

Costa has recently been calling out the UFC for not offering him a
fight despite him being ready. The Brazilian believes the
short-notice booking against Ankalaev was offhandedly offered to
him as a result of his recent demands. However, the former UFC
middleweight title challenger didn't like the way the negotiations
were handled. Costa notes that the UFC has often pushed away its
top talents, like former heavyweight champion Francis
Ngannou, due to failed negotiations.

“The way they handled these negotiations, I don't think it's the
best way,†Costa added. “I think they push good talents away from
them. They create a distance; they create beef between fighters and
the guy who negotiates. We have seen this in the past. Francis was
one of these guys. They pushed so hard; they pushed him away and
gave him to big events like MVP.â€

“Hey I have a great deal for you: NON TITLE Fight in 13 days short
notice, Abu Dhabi, 5 rounds , same money, nothing better,†he wrote
on X.

Costa is coming off back-to-back wins over Roman
Kopylov and Azamat
Murzakanov.

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MMA

UFC 332: 'Silva vs. Wang' Live Results and Highlights

Published

2 hours ago

on

October 3, 2026

By

UFC 332: 'Silva vs. Wang' Live Results and Highlights
Trending:

Ciryl Gane shares first words since Tom Aspinall vacated UFC heavyweight title amid latest eye setback

The Octagon returns to Salt Lake City for tonight's UFC 332 event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong.

Silva and Cong will be competing for the vacant women's flyweight title, this after longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko was forced to vacate the belt due to injury.

Natalia Silva (20-5-1 MMA) will enter the contest sporting a 14-fight winning streak, with her most recent Octagon victory coming over Rose Namajunas this past January at UFC 324. The 29-year-old Brazilian has not tasted defeat since suffering a unanimous decision loss to Marina Rodriguez way back in December of 2017.

Meanwhile, Wang Cong (10-1 MMA) currently boasts a four-fight winning streak, with her most recent victory coming over Tracy Cortez this past July at UFC 329. ‘The Joker' suffered her lone career loss to Gabriella Fernandes via technical submission back in November of 2024.

UFC 332 is co-headlined by a men's bantamweight matchup featuring Deiveson Figueiredo taking on Payton Talbott.

Image via: samcasttroo on Instagram

Figueiredo (25-7-1 MMA) will enter the bout with hopes of snapping a two-fight losing skid. The former flyweight kingpin is coming off losses to Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong in his most recent efforts. ‘Figgy' has gone just 1-4 over his past five Octagon appearances overall.

Meanwhile, Payton Talbott (11-1 MMA) will be returning to action for the first time since scoring a unanimous decision win over former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 323. The 28-year-old has gone 4-1 over his past five fights, with his lone loss in that time coming by way of decision to Raoni Barcelos.

Also featured on tonight's UFC 332 main card lineup is a lightweight bout between King Green and Esteban Ribovics.

Green (36-17-1 MMA) will enter the contest on a four-fight winning streak, this after scoring three straight finishes over Daniel Zellhuber, Jeremy Stephens and Terrance McKinney (see that here). The longtime veteran has gone 7-3 over his past 10 Octagon apperances overall.

Meanwhile, Esteban Ribovics (16-3 MMA) was most previously seen in action this past August at UFC 330, where he scored a second-round TKO victory over Edson Barboza. ‘El Gringo' has gone 3-2 over his past five fights overall.

Get all of tonight's live results and highlights below (refresh for updates):

UFC 332 Main Card (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)

Natalia Silva (125) vs. Wang Cong (124.5) – Silva def. Cong by unanimous decision (48-47 x2, 49-46)

Deiveson Figueiredo (135) vs. Payton Talbott (135.5) – Talbott vs. Figueiredo via TKO (punches) at 2:09 of Round 1

King Green (155.5) vs. Esteban Ribovics (156.5)* – Ribovics def. Green via TKO (punches) at 4:08 of Round 1

Khaos Williams (170) vs. Roberto Soldic (170) – Soldić def. Williams by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27 x2)

Ateba Gautier (184) vs. Roman Kopylov (185) – Kopylov def. Gautier via TKO (punches) at 3:12 of Round 1

UFC 332 Prelims (Paramount+, 6 p.m. ET)

Imanol Rodriguez (126) vs. Alden Coria (126) – Rodriguez def. Coria via TKO (front kick to the body and punches) at 3:11 of Round 1

Damian Pinas (185) vs. Andrey Pulyaev (185.5) – Pinas def. Pulyaev via KO (punch) at 1:15 of Round 1

Marcus McGhee (144.5) vs. Anthony Romero (145) – McGhee def. Romero via TKO (punches) at 4:58 of Round 1

Anthony Wint (236) vs. Lucas Armand (263) – Wint def. Armand via TKO (punches) at 0:23 of Round 1

UFC 332 Early Prelims (Paramount+, 4 p.m. ET)

Johnny Walker (242) vs. Mick Parkin (265) – Walker def. Parkin via KO (knee) at 3:35 of Round 1

Rafael dos Anjos (155.5) vs. Alexander Hernandez (155) – Hernandez def. Dos Anjos via TKO (punches) at 3:12 of Round 2

Marvin Vettori (185.5) vs. Ismail Naurdiev (184.5) – Naurdiev def. Vettori by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Jacobe Smith (171) vs. Bruce Whitehead (170) – Smith def. Whitehead via KO (punches) at 1:32 of Round 1

Court McGee (170) vs. Eric Nolan (170) – Nolan def. McGee via KO (punch) at 3:26 of Round 3

Who are you picking to win tonight's women's flyweight title fight between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong? Share your predictions in the comment section PENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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MMA

Alex Pereira set to return at UFC 335!

Published

5 hours ago

on

October 3, 2026

By

Alex Pereira set to return at UFC 335!
Trending:

Ciryl Gane shares first words since Tom Aspinall vacated UFC heavyweight title amid latest eye setback

Former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira will be returning to the Octagon at UFC 335 on December 12.

The promotion announced Pereira's next fight during tonight's UFC 332 main card broadcast.

The Pereira vs. Pavlovich fight will serve as the co-main event of UFC 335 and is scheduled for five rounds.

Alex Pereira (13-4 MMA) most previously competed inside of the Octagon this past June at UFC Freedom 250, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Ciryl Gane in a fight for the promotion's interim heavyweight title.

Prior to that setback, ‘Poatan' was coming off a first-round TKO victory over Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the UFC's coveted light heavyweight championship. Pereira would later vacate that title in order to compete in the promotion's heavyweight division.

As for Sergei Pavlovich (21-3 MMA), the hard-hitting Russian is currently riding a three-fight winning streak, with his most recent victory coming by way of first-round knockout over Tallison Teixeira this past May at UFC Macau. The 34-year-old has gone 8-2 over his past ten Octagon appearances overall.

Who do you think will emerge victorious when Alex Pereira and Sergei Pavlovich collide at 335? Share your predictions in the comment section Penn Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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MMA

UFC 332 LIVE stream watch party: Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong

Published

6 hours ago

on

October 3, 2026

By

UFC 332 LIVE stream watch party: Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong

MMA Fighting has a live stream watch party for Saturday's UFC 332 event at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. In the main event, Natalia Silva faces Wang Cong for the vacant UFC women's flyweight title. Valentina Shevchenko vacated the championship after suffering an injury.

Join Mike Heck and Jed Meshew as they watch the main card, and more live with the MMA Fighting community.

In the co-main event, surging bantamweight contender Payton Talbott looks to continue his rise up the ranks as he faces former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo.

Additionally, UFC 332 includes a lightweight contest between King Green and Esteban Ribovics, while former two-division KSW champion Roberto Soldic makes his octagon debut against knockout artist Khaos Williams.

The UFC 332 main card opens up in the middleweight division as Ateba Gautier faces his toughest test to date in Roman Kopylov.

Watch the UFC 332 watch party in the video above at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT, starting with the featured preliminary contest between Imanol Rodriguez and Alden Coria.

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